Appalachian State University is committed to ensuring all Mountaineer students have the opportunity to achieve their academic goals and earn a high-quality App State education, preparing graduates to excel in their future careers. Numerous university programs, services and resources, including more than 3,500 knowledgeable App State faculty and staff, are available to support students’ success along each step of their educational journey at App State — from the moment they enroll to the day they walk across the commencement stage, and beyond.

Read on to learn more about how App State ensures student success — both academically and financially.

Comprehensive support for every student

As a leading public institution, App State is dedicated to the success of its students. The university’s reputation as both a leader and an innovator in higher education is well known, with national publications consistently recognizing App State for its academics, innovation, value, benefits for student veterans, programs to enhance the first-year experience and more. For eight consecutive years, App State has been recognized as a top three school for both innovation and undergraduate teaching among Southern universities, according to U.S. News & World Report.

The university has an excellent record for retaining students and ensuring they complete their degrees in a timely manner. App State ranks within the top five schools in the University of North Carolina System for both its current four-year graduation rate (58%) and its current first- to second-year retention rate (83.7%) — rates that are both well above the national averages. And key to the university’s graduation rate are its retention rates: From fall 2024 to the spring 2025 semester, the university achieved a 94.4% retention rate of first-year students — a five-year high that has led to a record spring enrollment of 20,291 students. Additionally, over the past six academic years, the average time to degree completion for new, first-year App State undergraduate students has been four years or less.

Numerous data show that first-year students who complete 30 credit hours in their first year are more likely to graduate and to graduate on time. Over the past eight academic years, an average of 76% first-time, full-time App State undergraduate students have achieved this benchmark. Academic advisors work with students one-on-one, helping them develop the best educational plans for their degree programs.

A bevy of resources, programs and services are available to ensure students thrive along each step of their educational journey at App State — from the moment they enroll at the university to the day they walk across the commencement stage. Among these:

• Academic advising and support — The University College Academic Advising Center helps students navigate course selection and assists in creating their educational paths. Students who have officially declared their major are assigned an advisor within the college or school that houses their degree program.
• Academic support through the Student Learning Center — This center offers academic resources that complement and enhance classroom experiences by helping students become acquainted with their studies and learn how to learn effectively. Services include tutoring, academic coaching, testing services and more.
• Transfer Admissions and Engagement — This unit supports App State undergraduate students through all stages of their transfer journey, from admission counseling and pretransfer advising, to credit evaluation and transitional assistance. For eight straight years, App State has been named to Phi Theta Kappa’s Transfer Honor Roll, which honors the university’s sustained commitment to the success of its transfer student population.
• University Writing Center — The center’s experienced writers and attentive readers work one-on-one with App State students to help them improve their writing. Writing Center consultants are able to assist across all stages of the writing process and in any subject matter.
• Community-designated student programs — These include As-U-R and TRIO Student Support Services. As-U-R is an intensive student support program focused on supporting students with executive function challenges. TRIO provides comprehensive services to 200 undergraduate students each year who are first-generation and/or low-income, motivating and supporting these students as they work to complete their degrees.
• Career readiness through App State’s Career Development Center — The center supports App State students in their journeys to career success. Services include helping students solidify their goals and interests, build a foundation of career readiness skills, prepare for a job or internship interview and more.

Also, App State’s Division of Student Affairs plays a crucial role in student success and retention by providing services and programs that support students’ overall health and well-being and engage them in the campus and local communities during their time at the university. These support services include Wellness and Prevention Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, Community-Engaged Leadership, Campus Activities, Student Health Service and University Recreation, to name a few.

Of course, the driving force behind student success at App State is the university’s more than 3,500 faculty and staff members, who go above and beyond each day so that students have every opportunity to achieve their educational goals. App State has a low student-to-faculty ratio, with expert faculty who provide students with close mentorship and share their knowledge through innovative ways of teaching. The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning for Student Success supports faculty professional development, helping faculty achieve excellence in teaching and leadership, which in turn contributes to the academic success of App State’s students.

The value of an App State education

Minimizing student debt starts with a college education that provides great value at an affordable cost. App State’s costs contribute to lower than average borrowing among its students — which means less debt at graduation.

In fact, the university has been recognized among Southern higher education institutions where graduates take on lower amounts of student loan debt — lower than those of their statewide and national peers:

• U.S. News & World Report has recognized App State within the top 15% of public and private Southern colleges and universities where graduates carry the lightest debt loads. As part of its 2024 rankings, the publication ranked App State as No. 18 for least average student debt among 2020 and 2021 graduates.
• The university ranks as No. 4 among four-year public and private North Carolina higher education institutions for lowest average student debt, according to The Institute for College Access and Success’ 16th annual report on student debt.

For the 2024–25 academic year, the university’s undergraduate cost of attendance is $24,793 for in-state residents and $43,076 for out-of-state residents — well below the 2024–25 national averages of $29,910 for in-state students and $49,080 for out-of-state students at public institutions, and $62,990 at private institutions, according to College Board. This includes tuition and fees, housing, meal plans, transportation, textbooks and supplies.

The university is committed to making an App State education affordable for all students, awarding an average of $25 million each year to students based on need, as well as academic and athletic achievement. In recent years, App State has awarded academic scholarships and aid to nearly 40% of its student population. On average, about $4.9 million in outside aid is awarded to App State students annually.

Nearly 70% of App State students receive financial aid to help pay for their time in school — from state and federal grants, loans and work programs, to university and outside scholarships. The knowledgeable staff in App State’s Office of Student Financial Aid and University Scholarships are available to assist App State students and families throughout the process of applying for various types of financial aid.